Mini-CD "Jupiter"

[dani]

Ciaran is the soloist on home and I personally think this is a lot better than the song Angel


Ciaran has a really nice voice and it's great to hear him again as his amazing grace from the live dvd shows how good his voice is.

[Surpinto]

I really thought it was Isaac on solo on "Home" from that snippet of video! How wrong I was. Of course I can blame poor audio quality and foreground noise and talking for my error....and I will .

I downloaded the album from iTunes and I like it. The songs "Jupiter" and "I Vow to Thee My Country" are similar with both being slightly different arrangements of the same song - different instruments and a Japanese verse. It sounds to me like Tiachi did the ending on both songs, but did Isaac have the other solo part on both too? I just can't seem to tell. Can anyone else lend an ear? Regardless the rendition is excellent. They have recorded this song lots of times and this recording is an excellent one so even though the song is well known to fans, this recording of it is not at all wasted.

As for "Home" it is a really pleasant song. Only the refrain has elements of the "Angel" and "Song of Life" construction and in my opinion it does not take away at all from the music. The recording quality is excellent and the singing, including the solo parts by Ciaran, are well executed. And of course the arrangement of this song by RP and Sam Coates is classic Libera.

Well done I would say!

[alcesalcesobservator]

I listened to the samples available, and I think Isaac sings "Light"--it sounds just like the live performance-- and someone else sings "Oath". Someone who's voice has a lighter, brighter sound, and a tighter vibrato.

[Surpinto]

Got my CD by mail today and the mystery is solved. The second track is sung by no other than Merlin Brouwer. No wonder I did not recognize the voice as this would be his first ever recording as soloist and I have never heard him live. What a nice voice he has and he sang that song very well. He is definitely emerging as a capable singer.

[alcesalcesobservator]

Got my CD by mail today and the mystery is solved. The second track is sung by no other than Merlin Brouwer. No wonder I did not recognize the voice as this would be his first ever recording as soloist and I have never heard him live. What a nice voice he has and he sang that song very well. He is definitely emerging as a capable singer.

Wow! I really liked his voice, I wouldn't have guessed someone so young. He's only been with Libera a relatively short time, about 2 years, hasn't he?

[Surpinto]

Got my CD by mail today and the mystery is solved. The second track is sung by no other than Merlin Brouwer. No wonder I did not recognize the voice as this would be his first ever recording as soloist and I have never heard him live. What a nice voice he has and he sang that song very well. He is definitely emerging as a capable singer.

Wow! I really liked his voice, I wouldn't have guessed someone so young. He's only been with Libera a relatively short time, about 2 years, hasn't he?

His first concert with them was just at the end of 2014 so he has only been with them for a little over a year. According to the Libera Passion members page he turned 11 a few months ago which is actually fairly consistent with when these boys start doing solos because the voice, and the singer, is sufficiently trained to handle that sort of thing. What I find most intriguing is when a chorister solos at age 8 or 9, usually it foreshadows a future as a prime singer. Recent examples include Isaac at age 8 soloing with Ralph Skan on Himig Ng Pasko in the Phillipines in 2011. We did not know it then but he was to become a dominant presence in the choir.

[chris17]

Got my CD by mail today and the mystery is solved. The second track is sung by no other than Merlin Brouwer. No wonder I did not recognize the voice as this would be his first ever recording as soloist and I have never heard him live. What a nice voice he has and he sang that song very well. He is definitely emerging as a capable singer.

I was wondering who it was! I've never heard him live either. I think his voice fit the song quite nicely, and I really liked the arrangement on that track also. Question though - the very beginning of that one (2nd track) sounds a lot like Isaac to me. Is he mentioned in the booklet?

As far as Home, I really like it. There is that bit that's really similar to Angel, but as a whole I think the song really works.

[Yorkie]

I think I might be on my own here but I'm not getting the love for 'Home' at all. It isn't the tune or lyrics or vocals which are all good but the production,or should I say over production. It is just so false and saccharine I can't like it.

Maybe it will grow on me.

[Surpinto]

Got my CD by mail today and the mystery is solved. The second track is sung by no other than Merlin Brouwer. No wonder I did not recognize the voice as this would be his first ever recording as soloist and I have never heard him live. What a nice voice he has and he sang that song very well. He is definitely emerging as a capable singer.

I was wondering who it was! I've never heard him live either. I think his voice fit the song quite nicely, and I really liked the arrangement on that track also. Question though - the very beginning of that one (2nd track) sounds a lot like Isaac to me. Is he mentioned in the booklet?

He is. In fact, the booklet says "Soloist - Merlin Brouwer with Isaac London, Camden Stewart & Alexander Montoro"

And several times you can hear what sound like multiple voices on the solo parts. So it would be totally plausible for Isaac to be the voice at the beginning. In fact, I am sure you are correct in this.

[dani]

I think I might be on my own here but I'm not getting the love for 'Home' at all. It isn't the tune or lyrics or vocals which are all good but the production,or should I say over production. It is just so false and saccharine I can't like it.

Maybe it will grow on me.

We are all different , I would rather listen to Home than Angel personally.

[alcesalcesobservator]

I think I might be on my own here but I'm not getting the love for 'Home' at all. It isn't the tune or lyrics or vocals which are all good but the production,or should I say over production. It is just so false and saccharine I can't like it.

Maybe it will grow on me.

I'm not sure what you mean by "over production", but it is just a touch saccharine in an old fashioned way. Rhyming "Bird on the wing" with "Song they could sing", for example.
Over all, it strikes me as a hymn, because although it carefully has no mention of God or heaven, it uses phrases like "When our misery and sadness will pass away," and "For the hope we hold". Although it's not my top favorite song, I do like it and am not sorry I bought it.

I really like both Jupiters. On the first track, Taichi's voice sounds similar to Tom Cully's, and Merlin sings the second track beautifully.

[Yorkie]

I'm not sure what you mean by "over production", but it is just a touch saccharine in an old fashioned way. Rhyming "Bird on the wing" with "Song they could sing", for example.

By over produced I guess I mean it has a very artificial sound with heavy reverb, dynamic compression and layering of voices and instrumentation. It is really noticeable through headphones but isn't bad when I play it back through the speaker system on my PC. I must confess that another forum member raised this a few years ago and i disagreed with her then, but I can't this time.

I suspect that this will be a great track live and I look forward to hearing a more natural version. I do agree about the other two tracks and I think there are a couple of very promising vocals by Merlin and Taichi; just as well as I would expect we may lose two or three more of the top soloists this year! Not that I should doubt RP and the team who always seem to have another talent ready to go

[alcesalcesobservator]

I'm not sure what you mean by "over production", but it is just a touch saccharine in an old fashioned way. Rhyming "Bird on the wing" with "Song they could sing", for example.

By over produced I guess I mean it has a very artificial sound with heavy reverb, dynamic compression and layering of voices and instrumentation. It is really noticeable through headphones but isn't bad when I play it back through the speaker system on my PC. I must confess that another forum member raised this a few years ago and i disagreed with her then, but I can't this time.

I suspect that this will be a great track live and I look forward to hearing a more natural version.

Oh, I see. That makes sense. I think this was recorded only by eight boys, so it would sound more natural with a larger group, as well.

[john45]

By over produced I guess I mean it has a very artificial sound with heavy reverb, dynamic compression and layering of voices and instrumentation. It is really noticeable through headphones but isn't bad when I play it back through the speaker system on my PC. I must confess that another forum member raised this a few years ago and i disagreed with her then, but I can't this time.

With the greatest respect, in a word " B*ll*cks".
OK, just joking, and no offence, but I like it. Ciaran is at the top of his form and though some of the music (at verses 4 & 9) is somewhat reminiscent of previous Maramatsu compositions, to my ear it is much more original than "Angel" and knocks the socks off "Santa".

[Yorkie]

OK, just joking, and no offence, but I like it. Ciaran is at the top of his form and though some of the music (at verses 4 & 9) is somewhat reminiscent of previous Maramatsu compositions, to my ear it is much more original than "Angel" and knocks the socks off "Santa".

None taken but I stand by my assertion. I listen to most of my music via headphones (of a medium quality, not hi-end audiophile of the £1000+ type) and I find the production to be too noticeable when I do that. 100% agree about Ciaran's voice and it isn't the composition. It isn't that I don't like the song, I think it will be a cracker at a concert. I just can't enjoy it when listening to it through headphones. But that is just me